Allegedly hailing from Franeker,[note 1] she moved to France, where between 1936 (in Megève) and 1951 she participated in French skiing competitions.[1] In May 1938, as a Dutch citizen and aged 25, she took a trip to the United States, accompanied by the 51-year-old hotel manager (Eugène Vincent) Emile Prajoux.[3] The couple married 12 April 1940 in Paris.[5][note 2] Emile Prajoux died before 1951 and Bouma became a Dutch citizenship again, though she remained in Paris.[1] She won the 1951 and 1952 Dutch combined skiing competition,[6] the latter apparently as sole competitor,[1] and was selected as the female Dutch skiing participant in the 1952 Winter Olympics.[1] At nearly 40 years old she has been the oldest Dutch Winter Olympics competitor.[7]
On February 14, 1952, she competed in the women's giant slalom. She finished 40th and last in 3:31 minutes, 33 seconds behind the next competitor and 84 seconds behind the winner.[8] She then withdrew from participation in the slalom and downhill races.[9] Partially because of her poor results, the Dutch Olympic committee decided to tighten selection criteria for participation.[10]
Notes
^ abThe birth place Prajoux-Bouma provided registering for the Olympics was "Hauswernich, Germany",[2] while for the United States customs on her 1938 trip she wrote "Virnick, Holland".[3] Neither match known locations. She told reporters in Oslo in 1952 that she originated from Franeker.[1]
